If you're like me, you've decorated for the holidays and are now experiencing the slow but steady destruction of all your hard work due to rambunctious children and pets. Two articles I read recently have given me some tips on ways I can make my home more pet-friendly to protect my decorations and the safety of my animals. Some of these ideas will actually work on my toddler, too! Here is a summary of some great tips found on The Home Know-It-All and Homecheck.com.

Tree etiquette. Anchor your tree to the wall or ceiling. Cover the stand as pine sap and water can be poisonous. Use unbreakable, nontoxic ornaments. Put decorations high out of pets' reach.

Decoration don'ts. Don't put decorations so low that pets can reach them. That includes bulbs, balls, tinsel or anything else they could put in their mouths. Keep lights and electrical cords out of your pets' way.

Food. Be careful your pets don't eat table scraps, which may be hard for them to digest and may contain bones. And, of course, remember that chocolate is toxic to most animals.

Guests. Your family and friends won't know the rules you've established for your pets, so be sure to let them know what foods, rooms and behavior are off-limits. To prevent your pets from becoming overstimulated, you may want to set up a quiet retreat for them.

With some preventative measures and a vigilant eye, your pets can enjoy the holidays as much as you do. Just don't forget they deserve their own stocking stuffers, too!